I was born, raised, and earned my BFA degree in Minnesota. I’m very excited to move to Buffalo, explore New York, and meet new people. As a painter and naturalist, I've realized that viewers need a personal relationship with their surroundings to care about conservation. My paintings aim to forge a connection between the viewer and ecology by creating imagery that ignites curiosity and recalls memories and sensory experiences. In my art practice, I combine painting, research, and endless curiosity for ecology. I don't aim to paint photorealistically, but to paint light, color, and texture in a way that feels more real than a photograph, to capture the spirit of that unique organism or environment. The goal of my paintings is to help the viewer slow down, observe closely, question, relearn, and become more engaged with their local environment.